A conventional control apparatus of an electric railcar includes light-load regeneration control means that calculates, with a voltage across a direct-current (DC) filter capacitor (hereinafter called capacitor voltage) being supplied as an input, a regeneration control torque current during regeneration operation. The light-load regeneration control means includes one integral control means and two proportional control means, with a difference between a capacitor voltage and a DC voltage target value serving as an input. For that reason, even if a load varies during the regeneration operation, the integral control means allows the voltage between an overhead line and a rail (hereinafter called overhead line voltage) to stay at a predetermined value. By combining two proportional control means together and then providing a feedback control of a voltage proportional to that obtained by removing that of a low frequency component from the capacitor voltage, a voltage jump (surge) on the overhead line occurring when the load drops off can be suppressed. Patent Document 1 discloses that, in suppressing the voltage jump (surge) on the overhead line occurring when the load drops off, the use of any one of a voltage across the DC filter capacitor and the overhead line voltage as an input also provides the same advantageous effect.    [Patent Document 1]    Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-88974